18 December 2009 (Martial Arts) Tuesday, Dec 22 2009

The intensity of the classes have been raised another notch. We are preparing to take our belt test in the next couple of months. Therefore, we are quickly covering all of the basics. In fact, the classes are now structured in reverse by starting with our basic retaliations and ending with strikes and blocks.

We reviewed some of the falling techniques. It is amazing how I’m no longer as afraid as I used to be. I have learned to trust my body and that it will do the right thing. Afterwards, we then went into basic retaliations. The blocks and strikes have become much more fluid. It’s actually starting to feel a little like a dance. Our Sensei told us to remember using our kiah shouts as we blocked and attacked. It will help us to focus (as well as scare our opponents).

Some other drills we covered were our knife blocks. This went on for a good amount of time. My arms and shoulders were definitely sore that I had to take some breaks. But towards the end, these too became very fluid. Later in the class, the Sensei went to strike and we just naturally did that movement, even though we weren’t covering that technique. I love that our bodies are remembering what it needs to do to keep itself safe.

Lastly, we started on some of the sword katas. While this is more advanced training, Sensei likes to give us some stuff to keep us motivated. Afterall, who doesn’t like working with swords? Nevertheless, when we do “formally” reach that level, the knowledge will already be part of our memory. Therefore, it should be much easier when we train.

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4 December 2009 (Martial Arts) Monday, Dec 7 2009

It has been some time since we had a formal class session. While this one was short, it was not lacking in intensity. In the first hour, we practiced on blocks. However, for this exercise we were to imagine as though our opponent held a knife and tried to slash at our face. In addition to this block, there were two additional movements designed to move the opponents arm away from our body, thus removing the threat of the “knife.” I had a tendency to keep one arm down which would leave me open for a second attack. In time I learned how to be more alert. As we grow more advanced we can then add to this basic concept and be able to not only block the opponent, but also, gain control of the “knife” or restrain the opponent completely.

In the second hour, we practiced a sword kata. Throughout, the Sensei kept talking about the various parts of the sword, the reason behind certain movements, and how to handle the sword properly. It was definitely a lot of information for me to digest. However, with more practice, the movement will become much more natural. It is the hope that we can demonstrate these katas with lightsabers at the next Jedi Gathering. That goal certainly gives much motivation.

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22 November 2009 (Martial Arts) Wednesday, Nov 25 2009

We had our November meeting of the Chicago Jedi chapter. In the first hour we covered many of the developments within the Jedi Realist Movement. We spoke about the Michigan Gathering that is slated for July 22-25, 2010. There was also talk of the updating within the Institute for Jedi Realist Studies (IJRS) website. I was recently promoted to be the President of the IJRS. It’ll be my job to help keep to the mission of the site and connect with other Jedi communities. There was also discussion on having member dues and donations to cover the cost of website maintenance, food, etc. The following meeting will focus on some of the different offices for the chapter.

 Later we moved into the more physical work. We did some “humanizing” drills. Having done many of these arm blocks, the workout didn’t phase me one bit. Although my arms did feel it later. Once people worked up a bit of a sweat, we moved outside to practice some of our sword skills. The meeting was then closed with a recitation of the Jedi Code. To add more finality, a call of “May the Force be with you” was added, to which the people would respond “Always.”

 After the meeting, everyone went to the theaters to catch The Men Who Stare at Goats. I was pleasantly surprised by this movie and its many references to the Jedi. It actually gave us many ideas on what to incorporate in some of our future meetings (i.e. – remote viewing exercises).

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7-8 November 2009 (Community Work) Monday, Nov 16 2009

The first weekend in November, the Bridge Communities holds what is known as Sleep Out Saturday. This is an event designed to raise awareness around the issue of poverty and homelessness. In the weeks leading up to it, I and several other churches, youth, etc. go around collecting pledges. The personal goal for our church was to raise $100 per participant. We then deliver these pledges to the organization at a huge rally. It was great to see how many other people were involved in this good work. However, the night doesn’t end there.

Later we returned to our church to continue with the night’s events. Part of the programming helped us realize what life is like to live only on minimum wage. It is only by the charity of others that some people can barely make ends meet. Another of the activities had us look at the ethics and morality behind our own economic system. Some of the youth were able to rationalize ways of commiting illegal acts so that they can have enough money to survive. These programs definitely opened our eyes to some of the injustices people encounter.

The culmination of the night is what gives this event its name – “Sleep Out Saturday.” All of the participants slept outside on the front lawn of the church. Many brought sleeping bags, while others constructed homes out of cardboard boxes. I was actually amazed out how heat can stay withing one of those boxes. However, as the elements would grow harsher, I am sure that such living conditions would not last. We were fortunate in that the weather was very agreeable. Yet, as we warmed ourselves by the fire in a metal barrel, I was aware of how quickly winter is approaching.

I was pleased by the number of people who participated. Our church group alone was able to raise close to $4000 dollars. I know that money will be used wisely to help benefit those who are not as fortunate.

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30 October 2009 (Martial Arts) Thursday, Nov 5 2009

I was grateful for another shorter class. I had been sick earlier in the week and was still recovering. Nevertheless, I continued with my training. Afterall, we don’t always get to have the most ideal of conditions. We spent the majority of the time reviewing wrist locks. At least it was a review for me but not for my fellow classmate who missed the previous session. Therefore, I offered to be the “uke” (one who receives the technique) as I already had a pretty good hold of the material.

The first basic lock was nidan. The arm positioning looks like that of a goose, hence its common names of the “goose neck” lock. This technique is the one you typically see officers using to “escort” assailants. The key is to make sure the hand gets positioned so that the fingers face towards the elbow. The second technique was shodan. Instead of being vertical, the arm is now horizontal. It creates more of an S-shape. That last technique was kote gaeshi (leaf hand). The object is to grab the hand and be able to twist your opponent into compliance. As with each of the techniques, they should be done with relatively little effort and close to your body. You end up using yourself as an anchor. I have the basic concept down of each of the techniques. However, I need to work on their execution. My movements aren’t as fluid as they could be.

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23 October 2009 (Martial Arts) Thursday, Oct 29 2009

While we had a short class (only 2 hours) it was still very exhausting work. In the first hour, we reviewed all of our basic strikes. Thinking about how I was when I first started, I found myself to be very focused. However, given my lack of time devoted to training, my skills are not where they could be. Nevertheless, I still put forth effort. Moreover, looking at our training manual, it would appear that I am getting close to going up to yellow belt. That thought further pushes me to train harder.

In the second hour, we focused on wrist locks. I am definitely glad that I loosened up my wrists earlier as I kept being used as the “uke” (one who receives the technique). I was getting a little annoyed that I had to keep thinking about the steps to apply the technique on my opponent; therefore, it wasn’t going as smoothly as I would have liked. Finally, out of frustration I gave up thinking. I just moved and trusted that my body would react the way it should. It worked! Even the Sensei said that it looked very fluid and asked what I had done. So I responded that I just stopped thinking. I must be getting further into that AHA moments.

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16-18 October 2009 (Shamanic Apprenticing) Wednesday, Oct 21 2009

This weekend was 3 of 4 for my apprenticeship. We moved from the West aspect to the North where our focus in on Spirit and Air. It was not as intense as the West weekend; this phase of the learning is more about integrations and less about deconstruction.

We began our work by opening directions and welcoming all the spirit guides and ancestor into our circle. I had the honor of being chosen to call in the Above (home of the Star Nations and the Great Mystery). In continuing with our preparation we smudged each other to remove any negativity we still held. Then we started to share what our experiences had been since our West Weekend. It would appear that many of us, myself included, had a sense of being lost. It was like we had reached a standstill with our energetic growth. We would later realize that we had undergone a great transformation and still in the process of integration. I still had a few issues to confront before I could truly move to the next level.

In the evening we did a shamanic journey (guided meditation) into the cave of the earth. While there we would confront our loyal companion, the jaguar, who would lead us to a fire to see what we still carried. As stated earlier, I still had an issue. It was revealed that I still harbored much anger – towards myself, my work, my past love. At first I found it a bit odd, but given the experiences over the past few months, it was entirely accurate. I was angry. After the journey, we conducted a Fire Ceremony where we wrote our issue on a paper and threw it into the sacred fire. As the paper would burn, the issue would be transformed and we could bathe ourselves with the smoke, taking in the power to face and overcome those issues.

The next day, we worked with our Mesa, altar. First we sang in the names of each direction. Then we had an hour learning more about the different directions, aspects, and sides of using an altar. While we are being given the framework, these things are always fluid. (So, just because Spirit is North, doesn’t mean that it can’t be elsewhere. If we find ourselves asking for spirit while facing East, we should ask ourselves why we are being led to such an encounter.) Afterwards, we worked the Mesa of our partner. I found it fitting that I had that same partner from the previous Weekend. We both saw a growth in each other’s work. While meditating, I received the message “all goes back to the center.”

Later we performed the Ceremony for Truth. Most people would see this as a Vision Quest as we were to sit out in nature for a period of ours communing with the spirits of the earth. We would receive various messages/images that connect with specific attributes. We were to focus on items such as Truth, Respect, Honor,Sacred, Faith, and Enlightenment. I was not expecting to be visited by so many insects, real and in visions. (I must now research Insect medicine to have a better understanding). I had visions of lady bugs and bees. I saw spiders and crickets. At one point I was led to sing “A Gift to be Simple.” It will take me many moon-ths to process this information. To help us return, we were to sit with a tree and get one last message. My friends, the black squirrels led me to a tree for precisely this purpose. They kept dropping fruit peels I was afraid of getting hit. Then I finally realized this was the message: “Take only what you need and leave the rest behind.” (Much like my anger, I was holding on to too much.)

Finally we reached the pinacle of the Weekend – the TranceDance. In this ceremony we dance to music with a blindfold and led with certain imagery. We would climb a mountain where we would meet the Spirit of the Mountain. She was beautiful! She shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow. She led me to a cave with a crystal just for me. I would take it, hold it to my heart, and it would mesh with me. I was so overcome with joy that as I extend my arms, colors could shoot out of them. I felt like a conductor creating a symphony of colors. I now had the power/strength to return to the waking world and confront my anger. In fact, it had dissolved that I wanted to dance and kiss all of my fellow tribe members.

We closed out work with a ritual with candles. We sat facing away from the light. We would approach different members saying how we saw Spirit in them. I was told that Spirit was seen in my through my laughter and compassion. My greatest ability is that of making people feel “at home.” Once we finished being told and telling others about Spirit, we could then face the candles in the center. Lastly, one of our leaders would take her wand, which had the head of a jaguar and blow into us the tradition of the Peruvian ancestors.

I felt truly blessed to be a part of this great experience.

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9 October 2009 (Martial Arts) Friday, Oct 16 2009

This class was the first one completely devoted to weapons training; we worked with escrima sticks. They were specially cut so that they would be proportionate to out arm lenghts. We saw how these sticks could strike, tear, or lock an opponent. In the first hour, we focused on using only one stick. While we may have one hand that is dominant, Sensei had us change them up every so often. It makes sense since our dominant hand could be hurt or incapcitated. Therefore, we would want to be proficient with the other arm. We learned of 5 basic striking zones (2 to the head, 2 to the sides of the body, and 1 to the core). Of course, whenever you strike, you are to be hitting something tactical, such as the temple, elbows, kness – something that will make it difficult for your opponent to recover.

In the second hour, we then moved to using 2 sticks. As we worked on a “figure eight” pattern, I noticed that the arm movement was very similar to what I have seen Poi Jugglers do. That was something I always wanted to do but would find myself uncoordinated. Yet, now that Sensei has broken down the mechanics (with the use of clever/simple analogies), it may be something I can pick up again.

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2 October 2009 (Martial Arts) Wednesday, Oct 7 2009

After a week break from classes due to Sensei’s travels, we jumped right back into training. The first hour saw us reviewing our basic strikes and blocks. We also did some “old school” conditioning work. We held heavy weights (or gallon water jugs) in our hands and were to keep them extended away from our body. After a minute it became very exhaustive work. I could feel beads of sweat pouring from my face holding those jugs of water. The litte bits of rest in between intervals only reminded me how heavy the weight was.

In the next hour we went through all 12 basic retaliations. It would be more accurate to say that my classmate taught me the last 6 as I had only learned the previous 6 in other sessions. Knowledge of these 12 sequences of blocks and strikes is necessary if I am to achieve the rank of yellow belt. Some of them were easier for me to pick up. However, I still have a tendency to “shy away” from the attacks. I must overcome that fear and be willing to get in close to my opponent. It comes down to trusting myself that these things I’m learning will surface and that I will be fast enough. (It actually reminds me of a speed reading course I took. I had to go over the words quickly trusting that I would remember what I saw and that the information would process. It took a few weeks but eventually it did “stick’.)

In the last hour we covered several choke techniques. I admit, by this point my mind was full of information. I wasn’t sure how much more I could learn. Thankfully, some of the chokes were stuff that we had previously learned. If anything, repeating those techniques helped me to better understand and implement those chokes. What this also tells me is that at future session when we review these chokes again, they will make more sense. (Again, this process is like my speed-reading course. Going over a passage several times allows me to pick up new data and add it to the existing information I gained previously.) —-am I reaching that AHA moment…..

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29 September 2009 (Energy Work) Monday, Oct 5 2009

Part of the training to become a shaman is to have a “mini-circle” where I meet with my fellow classmates guided by a staff person. We reflected on the energy work we have experienced since our “West Weekend”. Many of us, including myself have been feeling like we are only skimming the surface in regards to The Work. This sensation is very odd since we are used to going deep and having vivid experiences. Our guide tells us that it is a very natural part of the process. After the reflections we go around and “smudge” each other to remove any negativity we have carried with us from our everyday world. It was definitely nice to get this cleansing as I felt very much like a weight was being lifted. It would only be the start of going deep once again.

We then begin our “ceremony” by calling in directions and welcoming all our guides and ancestors into the circle. The focus of this circle was to release those aspects that draw us down.  We went through our chakras to see where the bulk of the negativity was being held. For a change, it was revealed that I needed to work on my 2nd (sacral) and 3rd (solar plexus) chakras. I usually find that it’s my heart chakra that needs help. However this time I was lacking in my creativity and self-esteem. We wrote down those blockages on a piece of paper and burned them in the fire of the candles. I wrote down “self-doubt” which clearly relates to those two chakras.

The next part of the process was to transform those negative aspects into something positive. To help us we went through a guided meditation. In it we encountered the Archangel Michael who took his sword and touched our heart. Everyone would receive something different. I was shown that I carried the light of Christ, or divinity, within me. (This gift was made more apparent as I received a forward from a friend by way of text messaging about receiving Jesus into my heart – at the same time of the meditation). With that knowledge we then used the ashes of the burned paper, mixed water, and used it as ink to claim that gift by which we draw power. I named this light as “strength.” We sealed those positive aspects by spraying/spitting “agua” on each other. (It was my first experience doing that technique as I was afraid the liquid wouldn’t atomize and come out as spitting. However the viscosity of the liquid made it spray like a nice mist. Although I was not prepared for the burning sensation due to the high alcohol content.) We thanked our guides and ancestors and closed the circle.

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